Link: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/compassion-rebroadcast/
Doctors Trzeciak and Mazzarelli talk about the compassion crisis in our healthcare system. In their book titled Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring Makes A Difference, the doctors explain when healthcare workers show a little compassion it can decrease costs, improve medical outcomes, and even help with physician burnout.
Original Air Date: November 24, 2021
Length: 54 Minutes 28 Seconds
Link: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/fmd-kidney-transplants/
With 90,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list in the United States, it is shocking to learn thousands of these available organs are thrown away each year. Doctor Sumit Mohan and economist Alvin Roth discuss policy and incentive issues that lead to wasted kidneys.
Original Air Date: November 11, 2021
Length: 27 Minutes 3 Seconds
Startup Stock Photos
Link: http://www.marketplace.org/2016/05/04/world/how-ping-pong-tables-are-economic-indicator
Summary: Ping pong tables have been an indicator for well performing startups and tech companies. Since the NASDAQ hit a low in February, ping pong tables sales have also declined.
Original Air Date: May 4, 2016
Length: 0 minutes 40 seconds
Link: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/chuck-e-cheeses-kid-can-learn-price-theory/
Summary: Chuck E. Cheese’s has a reputation for offering family fun events at an affordable cost. However, is the affordable cost the reason why infamous brawls between parents appear on YouTube? Freakonomics researches Chuck E. Cheese’s price strategy to find out what effect it has on disputes involving police.
Original Air Date: March 8, 2017
Length: 31 minutes 19 seconds
Link: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/leicester-city/
Summary: What if the odds of finding Elvis Presley alive were 5000 to 1? You could have had those same odds if you bet on Leicester City to win the most watched soccer league. Freakonomics discusses the near-impossible story of how this little club pulled off the biggest upset in an environment that rewards those who spend.
Original Air Date: May 25, 2016
Length: 45 minutes 15 seconds
Discussion Question: What behavior is being encouraged by the structure of the English league? Compare it with an American league. How is competition affected?
Link: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-cheeseburger-diet-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/
Summary: In response to the infamous documentary Super Size Me, one woman toured her local area in search for the best burger. Shockingly, she didn’t gain a single pound despite eating two burgers a week. Freakonomics discusses the surprising results.
Original Air Date: December 10, 2015
Length: 34 minutes 21 seconds
Discussion Question: What role does utility play in this situation? Will satisfaction of the second burger eaten always be the same? Explain.
Link: http://freakonomics.com/2014/09/18/outsiders-by-design-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast-2/
Summary: This podcast was inspired by the death of Gary Becker, an economist who’s work was inspired by the idea of discrimination. His approach was called ‘rational choice’–that people will make rational decisions to maximize their own utility and wealth. In the end, a lot of people strongly disagreed with his research. The program then goes on to illustrate two more examples of medical researchers who were outcast by their fields of study. By the end, however, Gary Becker won a Nobel Prize.
Original Air Date: September 18, 2014
Length: 41 minutes 40 seconds
Prompt / Discussion: Sometimes people will not agree with your research conclusions or ideas, such is the case with Gary Becker. Why do you think Becker’s ideas were/are so controversial?
Summary: Return on Investment (ROI) analyzes at the most efficient way to spend money. An example given is the difference between curing malaria and HIV/AIDS. To cure malaria, it would cost about $1,000 per person, while it would cost ten times that to cure HIV/AIDS, and it is decided that they would rather save 10 people from malaria before they save one from HIV/AIDS. The United Nations, with their Millennium Development Goals coming to a close, will be looking to set new goals in 2015, to be completed by 2030. One of the issued they will focus on is how they are setting goals, and how to be more efficient with the help of the Return on Investment analysis.
Original Air Date: October 2, 2014
Length: 43 minutes 34 seconds
Prompt / Discussion: You are a member of the United Nations, and are put in charge of coming up with new development goals for 2015. You have $100 billion to invest in various development aid. Discuss how you would prioritize between an important, expensive goal (such as getting all kids into school, which was one of the Millennium Development Goals), and something that might not be seen as highly important, but cost effective.
Link: http://freakonomics.com/2014/05/15/the-three-hardest-words-in-the-english-language-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/ Summary: What are the three most difficult words in the English language? According to Amanda Waterman, professor of Psychology at the University of Leeds, the words “I don’t know” are difficult for people, especially for children to fully express and admit.
Original Air Date: May 15, 2014
Length: 30 min
Summary: Freakonomics explains the new digital currency Bitcoin and its potential capabilities as well as its shortcomings. Economists and internet pioneers such as Marc Andreeseen and Susan Athey provide their opinions on this emerging currency.
Original Air Date: March 27, 2014
Length: 36 min
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